Imaging telescopes or lenses: William Optics Redcat 51
Imaging cameras: Lacerta DSPro2600c
Mounts: Skywatcher AZ-EQ6
Guiding telescopes or lenses: Lacerta Guidescope32
Guiding cameras: Lacerta Mgen3
Software: Photoshop · Pleiades Astrophoto, S.L. Pix Insight · APT - Astro Photography Tool APT 3.13
Filters: Optolong L-eXtreme
Dates:Dec. 26, 2020
Frames: 162x180"
Integration: 8.1 hours
Avg. Moon age: 11.39 days
Avg. Moon phase: 87.66%
Astrometry.net job: 4160643
RA center: 2h 44' 8"
DEC center: +61° 7' 35"
Pixel scale: 4.702 arcsec/pixel
Orientation: -177.309 degrees
Field radius: 3.252 degrees
Resolution: 4144x2768
Locations: my little astrofarm, Weppersdorf, Austria
Data source: Backyard
Full moon normally is a relaxed time for me, not thinking of Deepsky imaging or observing (if not some planets are up). The light pollution shed by our romantic friend is just forbidding. Who will be that crazy to do a widefield at fullmoon? But as it turns out, nowadays we have tools and weapons.
This picture is a test for two of them: Optolongs L-eXtreme dual narrowband filter (Ha and OIII each 6nm pass), and the new cooled DSPro2600c camera utiliting Sony's framed IMX571 color sensor. The scope is William Optics Whitecat with 250mm focal length.
I did not expect a revolution, but I was able to push the data pretty much. One gets a "natural bicolor" masterframe from dual narrowband filter, stars are very tight featuring the nebula additionally. I also processed CFAsplit Ha (R) and OIII (G amd B) masterframes taken before debayering, which worked well too but stars were not as tight. As you have 1/4 size masterframes and resample them to normal size, stars grow with resampling. But to mix in the starless narrowband versions to the "natural bicolor" worked well.
And yeah, here ist the result!
DSPro2600c working at gain 1, offset 100 and high conversion gain.
Shots taken on Dec 26th and new years eve Dec 30th to Jan 1st -
happy new year 2021 to all of you!
Description: annotated version
Description: a bit more blue
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